


Ayahuasca

by Devildom



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Body Worship, Eventual Relationships, M/M, Slow Build
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-22
Updated: 2020-09-29
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:20:53
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,198
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26599705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Devildom/pseuds/Devildom
Summary: There were very few rules that the Zoldyck children actually had to follow. All of them were absolute and non-negotiable. Including that nobody in the family was to ever touch the Phantom Troupe.But when presented with the opportunity to show his true potential to his parents, Illumi makes the strategic decision to disobey the family rule. If he can kill Chrollo then there would be no doubt around his ability to become the next heir.Of course, that requires him to involve himself more deeply into the life of his target than he's ever had to.
Relationships: Kuroro Lucifer | Chrollo Lucifer/Illumi Zoldyck
Comments: 5
Kudos: 35





	1. Malignant Brain

Kortopi crumpled into what Illumi could only describe as a pile of hair upon the asphalt. Thankfully there was no blood, the way that human hair would matte when exposed to blood was disgusting and Illumi would avoid the mess if he could. Which is why the assassination was done quickly and elegantly, several teal needles pierced into major arteries and veins across the spider's body. It was a good thing too, considering Kortopi wasn’t Illumi’s actual target. 

Illumi stood in the middle of the deserted parking garage that he had trailed Kortopi to. He wasn’t sure why the other was there but he wasn’t interested enough to figure it out. He stood, back turned to the fresh corpse as he freed his phone from a side pocket. A quick text to Miluki and he would be on his way back to the Republic of Padokea. 

_ ‘It’s done. Make sure the information travels.’ _

Miluki was all but useless in the field but at least he was good at manipulating situations from behind the scenes. Not that his services were completely required this time. Chrollo would find out about the murder of his subordinate soon enough on his own. Illumi just didn’t like to wait. 

Usually, his needles would be taken with him once the intended target was dead, he didn’t like to waste them. It took quite a lot of effort to infuse each needle with nen and, considering how many needles he used on a single job, he’d rather avoid unnecessary work. However, this time they were left sticking out from half a dozen places on Kortopi’s body. As if to say ‘Illumi was here’. 

║ ⵈ ⵈ ⵈ ⵈ ⵈ ⵈ║

In actuality, this wasn’t even a job Illumi was supposed to have taken. The only members of his family that knew his true intentions as of currently were him and Miluki. And his brother was only privy to the knowledge because his services would be required over the course of the job. Thankfully it was easy to throw a few video games and random figurines his way in order to keep him quiet. If their father found out what Illumi was doing, he would be in oh so very much trouble. Not that that frightened him, nothing really frightened him anymore. But he was very reluctant to disappoint his family, they were his sole reason for living. Everything he did was for them. And if he could keep all of this a secret until it was over, then they would be proud of him. 

There were very few rules that the Zoldyck children actually had to follow. All of them were absolute and non-negotiable. Including that nobody in the family was to ever touch the Phantom Troupe. For what reason, Illumi did not know. Though he assumed it had something to do with one of their few other rules. Never engage in a fight that you aren’t positive you can win. Above all else, the family's continued growth and survival was important. If even one of them was killed the dynamic would falter and the recovery period would leave them vulnerable. 

Chrollo Lucilfer was absolutely the type of target Illumi’s father would refuse to accept, even as a job of his own. But Illumi had a plan. And a motive. This was something he needed to do and it was something he was sure he would be able to accomplish. Perhaps not without injury but at least alive. 

He would not be facing Chrollo in a fair one on one fight. No, he was taking a much more calculated and time-consuming route. But one that would be worth the end results. 

Assassination was an expensive service but the Zoldyck family didn’t necessarily need any of the income they acquired. They didn’t decide whether or not to take a job based on the amount of money on the target's head. Rather, they decided based on convenience. Was the target someone they could confidently kill even in a less than ideal situation? Nine times out of ten the answer was yes. Did they have the resources needed to effectively complete the job? Also usually yes. Several more of these questions would be instinctively answered before a final decision was made. 

Chrollo certainly had a large bounty on his head. He was untouchable by most standards. Illumi didn’t need the money, though. What he wanted was two things. One, to prove to his father that he was proficient enough to become the next head of household. Illumi was fine with Killua taking that title but it seemed as though he was uninterested. And, so far, no amount of his own interference has worked to chance his mind. Neither force nor convincing. Illumi believed that he knew what was best for his family, that he knew how to run the business in his father's place. He just needed his parents to feel the same. 

Two, to get rid of a nuisance. Chrollo had hired Illumi before and he had certainly been a helpful ally in the past. However, more often than not he got in the way. Powerful clientele had been lost due to Lucilfer’s meaningless destruction. It was something that Illumi could tell bothered his father greatly, it was always a loss when either a regular client or an important link in their web of connections ended up dead. Their lives, of course, meant nothing but the assets they gave to the Zoldyck family was often irreplaceable. However, for some reason, Silva refused to go after Chrollo. 

So, when the opportunity presented itself in the form of a target request, Illumi took it. 

║ ⵈ ⵈ ⵈ ⵈ ⵈ ⵈ║

It only took a few hours to get back to the Zoldyck estate. Illumi made his way through the grounds, barely giving any of his employees a glance as he made his way to the main house. He needed an immediate update and he was unwilling to waste his already precious time. 

“How is it going?” Illumi questioned immediately upon entering his younger brother's room. He hated standing in that glorified shrine to anime but he often had no choice. He simply stood by the door to reduce his amount of contact. 

“It’s done,” Miluki answered, swiveling around in his chair to face the other. “My sources have confirmed that the information got to Chrollo.” 

“Perfect. Thank you.” 

“Yeah, whatever. It’s your life you’re betting. Speaking of, what are you going to tell mom and dad?” Illumi tilted his head to the side, eyes blank but somehow still questioning. 

“What do you mean?”

“I mean," Miluki sighed dramatically as if severly inconvienced by being asked to elaborate. "This plan involves you being away for several days or even weeks-”

“Possibly longer. Probably, actually.”

“Exactly! How are you explaining your absence to mom and dad? Especially mom, you know she’s going to have a mental breakdown without you here to run things.”

“I plan on telling them the truth.” Miluki all but gawked at him, face seeming even rounder with his mouth flopping open in disbelief. 

“You can’t tell them your target is Lucilfer! Dad will lock you in the dungeon until you're 21!”

“First of all, I’m 24.” Illumi resisted the urge to scowl at his brother's obvious lack of awareness. “Secondly, I’m simply going to tell them that I took an independent job and that I will send them the necessary detail as I encounter them.” 

“You seriously think that’s going to work?”

“Yes. Because, unlike you, father trusts me.”

“He won’t after this.”

“Not if I fail. So I won’t. I appreciate your assistance and may be requesting it again at a later date.” Illumi swiftly stepped back and swung the door closed before Miluki could argue about not wanting to be bothered. He would cooperate regardless of how he felt, he always did. 

║ ⵈ ⵈ ⵈ ⵈ ⵈ ⵈ║

Patience was a virtue that Illumi seemed to possess a great deal of. That didn’t mean he enjoyed being left around to wait, however. The information had gotten to Chrollo, that much he was positive of. What was still unknown was how the spider would respond and how long it would take him. 

Longer than he imagined, it seemed. Several days passed without any information. Illumi wasn’t even sure where Chrollo was, let alone what he could possibly be doing. Miluki was of no help in that regard, either. He had a feeling that Chrollo  _ knew  _ he was keeping Illumi waiting. 

Eventually, the bridge of contact was formed. Illumi hadn’t had any expectations, it seemed foolish to assume anything while dealing with someone like Lucilfer. However, a text message would have been low on his list had he had expectations. Not that it was odd, they had communicated this way in the past when they had worked together. Chrollo had chosen the easiest and most direct way to get Illumi’s attention. 

_ ‘285 Newcastle st, Yul’ _

_ ‘Come or don’t, it’s in your hands’ _

Finally, he felt as though he was getting somewhere. There was no time given for him to appear at the address but Illumi could hear Chrollo even-toned response if he was to ask.  _ At your earliest convenience. _

Illumi had planned in advance for this, he had already informed his parents of his 'independent job' and they had responded how he had expected them to. His father seemed unconcerned while his mother questioned him relentlessly about where he was going and when he would be back. The questioned were dodged easily enough, assassination often involved improvisation so he offered up no concrete details. 

No time was wasted once that text came through, Yul was a small country but it was across several other continents so it would take him time to arrive. It was best to jump in headfirst, he had been preparing for this after all. 

║ ⵈ ⵈ ⵈ ⵈ ⵈ ⵈ║

It would take a normal person over half a day's worth of air travel to reach Yul from the Republic of Padokea. For Illumi, it took half that time. Being a hunter meant he had no issue crossing borders and he didn’t need to answer to international customs when crossing into another continent. It made travel much easier. 

Yul was truly a small country, extremely impoverished thanks to the greed of their own government. There was barely any wealth within the country that didn’t belong to the politicians and public officials. Illumi cared very little, he only knew that information because some of his regular clients were in office in Yul. Their greed and entitlement knew no bounds, he was aware, but it suited him. Therefore, he didn’t care. 

The address he had been given turned out to be a public courthouse, it was currently operational though Illumi could tell it hadn’t actually been used in quite a time. It was unclear as to why Chrollo had led him here but he was unworried given the well-hidden but ultimately detectable energy of the person who had been following him since he crossed the border. 

As expected, Illumi had little time to admire the nearly broken down courthouse before the presence made itself more known, retreating from its hiding place and approaching the assassin from across the deserted street. The energy was unafraid, collected, if Illumi didn’t know better he would say it was Lucilfer himself. But Illumi knew if it had been the spider head then his presence would have been impossible to detect. 

Illumi shifted, gaze turning towards the sense of physicality that he felt radiating off the other. It was the small one, Illumi had never bothered to learn his name, but he had bothered to realize that he seemed to be one of Chrollo’s favorites. Illumi stayed quiet, waiting patiently for the information he was sure the small man was here to give him. 

“Danchou sent me to retrieve you.” It was spoken in a monotone, almost irritated fashion, though Illumi couldn’t read his face while it was hidden behind his scarf. Or was it a bandana? Either way, most of the man's features were hidden, though his eyes could be very expressive. 

“And to take me where?” He questioned though he would likely follow the spider whether he got a response or not. 

“To the hideout. Your intentions unknown. Danchou take precautions.” It was obvious that Japanese was not the man’s first language, it was slightly irritating to him listen to but not enough to get a reaction. The man had not offered up a lot of information but it was enough for Illumi to understand. The address he had meant nothing, it was just to get him into the country. Lucilfer had sent one of his members out, probably to make sure Illumi had not been followed or made any obvious signs of hostility. However, given that only one of the spiders was sent for him, it also told Illumi that Lucilfer didn’t view him as much of an immediate threat. It was unsurprising that the man was proficient at reading these types of situations. 

“Fair enough. Shall we?” The shorter man’s eyes narrowed in response, seeming to scrutinize Illumi. The latter simply tilted his head in a silent question, waiting for him to be satisfied. Within a few seconds, the staring content came to an end, leaving Illumi with the sense that the spider leg did not trust him. And why would he? It would be common knowledge among the spiders by now that Illumi had killed Kortopi. 

“Keep up.” It was the only warning Illumi got before the short man all but disappeared, already making his way back towards what Illumi assumed would be the spider's current hideout. Thankfully, following people was a large part of Illumi’s job so tailing the other man was easy. Even when he was hidden from sight, Illumi followed the distinct sense of his presence. 

Lucilfer hadn’t chosen an address that was all that far from their actual home base. It took them ten minutes at full speed to reach the building, Illumi easily catching up to the spider leg once he paused at the front door. The building seemed to be extremely run down, several stories high with more than its fair share of windows cracked or completely shattered. Graffiti lined every available surface and the bricks were beginning to crumble. Despite its state of disrepair, Illumi could tell it had once been a hotel. He could imagine why the use of it would have dwindled, there was nothing in this country worth visiting and the actual residents likely didn’t have the money to spend on a hotel. It was useless where it stood. The owners likely abandoned it, the cost of keeping it open probably greatly exceeded the profit they made. 

“Let’s go.” Tone impatient, the short man pushed through the rotating front door, leaving Illumi to follow his lead. The inside looked no better than the outside. The front door let into a large lobby, the furniture still present but obviously decaying in their neglected state. The front counters were void of monitors but that was the only difference Illumi spotted immediately. 

The assassin allowed himself to be led through the lobby and down a short hallway until they came to another set of doors. Illumi was slightly on guard, he could sense many people inside, it was obvious all the spiders were here. Or almost all. He was aware of the power difference, he would not survive a fight against the troupe. Though he didn’t think this was a trap, Lucilfer was more creative than that. Especially since he had been given the choice of making an appearance. 

The doors were pushed open easily and without hesitation by the small spider, leaving Illumi to follow behind him. He wasn’t much of a host, it seemed. Illumi found himself in a decent-sized conference room. He noticed the same pattern as he had in the lobby: all the furniture had been left but any TVs or monitors that were previously fixed to the walls for the purpose of presentations had been removed. Whether they had been taken by the owners before abandoning the building or by the first few who had discovered the hotel in its current state was unknown. 

Regardless, a dozen or so people sat around the room in a seemingly random fashion. There was a large conference table in the middle of the room where most of the inhabitants took residence. A few others stood around while the rest sat on the windowsills on the far side of the room. Illumi’s eyes swept over a sea of mostly unfamiliar faces, save for his own younger brother. It was no longer a secret that Kalluto had joined the spiders, at least not to Illumi. He was unaware of if his parents were aware. The boy looked surprised, perhaps confused, but the elder ignored it and continued looking around, soon catching Lucilfer’s gaze.

He was sitting on one of the three windowsills, legs tucked neatly under him. Illumi wondered if he had watched the two approach the building from his vantage point. Only one of the windows in the room was broken, the other two were dirty beyond what Illumi was comfortable with but he assumed they could still be seen out of. 

Chrollo lifted himself from his perch, standing before striding across the room. Illumi noted that the man was shorter than he had expected him to be. They had worked together in the past but Illumi could not recall a time where they had been in the same room. 

“Everything is secure, I assume?” Chrollo’s soft voice filled the silence that had fallen over the room the moment Illumi had entered. It wasn’t directed towards him but towards his guide.

“Yes. Would not have shown up if not.” Chrollo nodded in understanding, offering his underling a smile. 

“Good. Thank you, Feitan.” Perhaps now would be a good time to remember names, Illumi stored that one away for now. The spider head’s attention soon shifted and he offered Illumi the same smile. His air of calmness was slightly off-putting. It was different from Illumi’s own calmness, his was void of any sort of emotion. Lucilfer, however, had almost a cruel kindness about him. 

“It’s nice to see you, Illumi. We have much to talk about. Do come join us.” Chrollo gestured to the table, already moving to take his own seat near the end of the table. Illumi ignored the awkward silence and obvious hate-filled glares directed towards him as he took a seat across from Chrollo. Several others were sitting at the table as well, including Feitan who had taken an empty seat next to an unintelligent looking blonde man who, for some reason, lacked eyebrows. 

He took in the appearance of each person in the room quickly, cataloging them in case he needed the knowledge in the future. Lastly, he turned his gaze across from him to Chrollo who seemed to be patiently waiting for his attention. 

“I assume you have a motive for being here.” Chrollo asserted, hands folded together as he leaned forward against the table in a poised manner. 

“I do.” It was the first time he had spoken since arriving, it was obvious that everyone was watching and listening to the exchange. Illumi simply ignored them, keeping his gaze level with Chrollo’s. 

“You left your mark quite intentionally.”

“Yes, would I be here otherwise?”

“Perhaps not. Then you are aware of the traditions we follow, are you not?”

“I am privy to the knowledge, yes.”

“Good.” Chrollo eyed him quietly for a few seconds before continuing. “Kortopi occupied our twelfth leg. You are welcome to the vacant position, should you choose to take it.” 

“What will be required of me?” The question made Lucilfer smile, a pleased look. 

“More than I think you could handle.” His tone stayed the same, calm and understanding, but the implication behind the words was loud enough. Illumi was unbothered by the challenge, simply tilting his head to the side in response. 

“And why is that?” Chrollo stared for a moment, longer than what should be appropriate but it was clear that he was attempting to read Illumi. It was unsuccessful, of course, Illumi’s face was blank and his eyes held no hints of motive or intention. 

“Because I believe you underestimate the commitment you would be making.” Chrollo eventually responded. “Your loyalties would lie within the spider, something that I think would be difficult for you considering your loyalty is already embedded within your own family.” 

It was a true statement, Illumi’s priorities, his loyalty, did and always would align with the Zoldyck family. But he wasn’t going to get anywhere by admitting that. 

“I believe I can manage that.” Chrollo eyed him in what Illumi could only interpret as suspicion. However, no argument followed. 

“Good. See to it that you do. Other than that, you will be expected to show up when the troupe is called to gather, as we have now. It is not very often that I require all members to be present so I assume it won’t interfere with your work, yes?”

“I will make it work.” 

“Good to hear. You will also be required to brandish the troupe's tattoo to show membership.”

“As expected.” It was very easy for Illumi to alter the appearance of his body, he had never done something so simple as altering the appearance of his skin but he was sure it was doable. Chrollo seemed pleased with his response, nodding his head slightly. 

“Then it seems to be settled. Formally, I’m offering you the position. Do you accept?”

“If that’s all there is to know, then yes.” Chrollo once again smiled at him, leaning back in his seat. 

“There is one more thing. I called you here to have this conversation, yes, but also to request your assistance.”

“My assistance?” Illumi questioned, slightly suspicious but not outwardly so. 

“Yes. As I said, it’s not often I ask everyone to gather as they have now. It has been quite a few years since all of us have been together.”

“What is the reason for gathering?”

“The Yul Treasury.” The phrase didn’t immediately ring any bells but Illumi could make an educated guess as to where this was going. “Among the items offered up during the underground auction in Yorknew was a solid-gold execution sword. It originated from the Yul Treasury.”

Chrollo’s intentions were crystal clear, though Illumi still had questions. 

“Yul has barely any wealth as a country, what cold the treasury be holding that is worthwhile?”

“That has yet to be seen,” Chrollo admitted. “However, most of the country's remaining wealth lies within the treasury walls. Even if what is inside turns out to be useless to me it will still result in bankrupting the country.” 

“That’s your goal?”

“It is certainly a compelling aspect.” 

“You want me to assist you.” He was phrased as a statement, poised to get more information out of Chrollo as to what he wanted from the assassin. 

“Yes, now that you are a member. I have made everyone’s attendance mandatory. I believe your skillset will aid us greatly, don’t you agree?” Chrollo was purposefully leaving Illumi room to refuse, a way out in case he found himself in over his head by accepting the position as the 12th leg. 

“It has in the past. I’m sure it will again.” He agreed easily, much to Chrollo’s pleasure. 

“Fantastic, then it’s settled. We can begin discussing our plans.”

  
  
  
  
  



	2. Stay and Decay

Illumi watched as Chrollo easily shifted his attention to the entire room, standing up from his seat in order to take his place on the window sill once again. It seemed he enjoyed perching in high places, not unusual for someone so used to holding power. 

“The Yul Treasury is about a half a day’s journey east. I would have chosen a base closer but, given how much time we’re going to spend here I figured further away was worth the basics of comfort.” Chrollo started, voice catching the attention of everyone who hadn’t been listening to him already. 

"The country is severely impoverished, is there even anything worth taking?" It was the man with no eyebrows who spoke, skepticism clear in his voice. Chrollo simply shrugged. "That is something yet to be seen. But if there is then it is likely that robbing the treasury will also result in the remaining stable economy collapsing. It will effectively ruin the country." The excitement in the room rose at that and it was clear that the possibility of leaving their mark on an entire country was too much for them to pass up.

"Security is tight and well placed, getting inside discreetly is of importance. You may do what you want with those inside once the items have been secured. Until then, we must find a point of entry." Chrollo's attention turned to Illumi then, a small smile ever-present. "I'm sure your skills will be of use for that, yes?"

For most people, being suddenly put on the spot in front of a dozen people who oozed hatred would cause at least a little anxiety. However, Illumi simply stared blankly back at Chrollo, almost as a challenge, before answering his question. 

“Yes. I can procure the layout of the building. However, if discreteness is what you are aiming for, a layout won’t be enough. You need to identify when and where security is positioned outside the building.” 

“Why can’t we just kill them?” The voice came from a large man with several visible scars, stitches, and elongated earlobes, Illumi resisted the urge to scowl at his appearance. Regardless, he could understand wanting to get the guards out of the way as quickly and easily as possible but he also understood Chrollo’s caution. 

“It’s much more likely that we’ll have to retreat before obtaining all items if any security is able to alert others to our presence,” Chrollo explained. 

“We overpower security at Yorknew,” Feitan commented, voice muffled slightly by his scarf. “Why is treasury different? Seems easier.”

“It will likely be easier overall. However, I had a lot of information about the auction. Who was going to be there, where they would be, and when. I knew most of what was there and the exact layout of the building. I also had quite a few people on the inside. I just don’t have that kind of reach over Yul. Therefore, we need to be more delicate.” 

It was interesting watching the spider interact. None of the legs were directly arguing with Chrollo, Illumi could tell that they trusted his judgment enough to follow him regardless, but they still questioned things. They grasped for more information. If Chrollo refused to answer them they would still do as he instructed. He did answer them, though, and he did it with a patient aura, willing to explain his methods and the knowledge he had with his companions. 

“Okay, so we need to identify security routes,” Machi spoke, she stood near the table with her hands on her hips. Illumi only knew her name through her acquaintance with Hisoka, beyond that he knew very little. 

“Yes.” Chrollo tilted his head up as if in thought. “We will need to observe the building for a least a few days to get a comprehensive view of the security details.” 

“I go.” Feitan stood up from where he had been sitting on the ground. Illumi could tell that almost all, if not all members were very used to being uncomfortable. The broken-up tile floor didn’t seem to bother those that perched on it. “Don’t want to waste time here.” 

“Alright,” Chrollo agreed, gaze turning towards Feitan. “Take a few others with you. Shalnark, you should go so I can send the layout details when we get them. It will make things easier.” 

Shalnark, a very annoying blonde that Illumi decided to avoid if he could, enthusiastically agreed. Within a few minutes Feitan and Shalnark, joined by Kalluto and the man with no eyebrows (Phinks, Illumi learned), exited the conference room together. It was around a twelve-hour journey to the treasury and they needed to get there before the sunset if they wanted to be able to effectively find their way and start gathering information first thing in the morning. 

“Machi, will you lead another group to find supplies?” Chrollo questioned but Illumi got the feeling that it wasn’t quite a request. Chrollo was polite, gentle even, but his requests were not negotiable and it seemed everyone was aware of that fact. 

“Of course.” She agreed easily. He only vaguely remembered hearing of Machi in the past. Hisoka had spoken fondly of her, or at least Hisoka’s version of fondly. Her nen had something to do with healing, though Illumi had never paid much attention when the magician spoke. But the information rose in his mind in the moment as it gave a reason for Machi being asked to search for supplies over the others. She would be the main one using any medical supplies, she would know what to obtain.

Given who he was dealing with, it was obvious that ‘finding’ supplies meant stealing them from an already poverty-stricken region. Not that Illumi cared, his empathy was nonexistent, he just wondered if any of the spiders ever actually  _ bought  _ things or if that was against their morals. 

The second group formed quickly, Illumi watched intently as the group spoke in order to continue to learn the names of the ones he had never met or heard of. Pakunoda, Nobunaga, and Franklin decided to join Machi in searching for supplies. The way that Chrollo was describing the events to come made Illumi assume they would be here for a little while. Food and water would need to be procured as well as medical supplies. The four would likely split up in order to cover more ground, it wasn’t like Yul had a booming shopping district. 

Once the room was reduced to simply four, Chrollo turned his attention back to Illumi once again. 

“How quickly can you get those schematics?”

“Within the hour. A few at the most.” It all depended on how lazy Miluki was feeling. 

“Perfect. Do feel free to do as you wish while here, Illumi.” Chrollo smiled at him, a pleasant look for someone who regularly caused so much pain. “I believe most of the others have already chosen rooms to stay in for their time here. You’re welcome to do the same. The only room not available to anyone is the suite on the top floor. Feitan, Machi, and I will be staying there. It is off-limits to any others.” 

Illumi nodded in understanding and rose from his seat. Shizuku and Bonolenov didn’t seem like they would be moving from the room anytime soon. In fact, neither did Chrollo. Illumi watched as he settled back against the window and opened a book. The assassin felt no need to stay here. He was unfamiliar with working with others and found it...not uncomfortable, but strange. 

It would be useful for him to understand the layout of the hotel anyway so he made his exit, pulling out his phone as soon as the conference door closed behind him. 

_ Illumi: Can you get me the layout of the Yul Treasury? _

_ Miluki: Of course I can, who do you think I am? But why? _

_ Illumi: Don’t worry about it. _

_ Miluki: I’m not worried! I just deserve to know why I’m putting effort into something! _

_ Illumi: Just do it. I’ll owe you. _

_ Miluki: Fine. I’ll send it to you the usual way.  _

The usual way meant it might take longer than just an hour but Illumi wasn’t worried. It would take Feitan’s group around 12 hours to get to the treasury anyway, he was sure he’d have the layout much before then. In the meantime, he slipped his phone back into his pocket and turned to walk down the hallway. 

He knew that the building had five floors, had noted that when standing outside, and he had been in enough hotels in the past to understand what the general layout would be. 

The first floor consisted of the lobby, conference room, indoor pool and spa (obviously vacant and void of any water), a small restaurant and kitchen, a game room with no power, and a few offices that Illumi assumed had once been used as sales offices or a coatroom. Nothing quite out of the ordinary, though he did find the pool room to be eerie. It had very few windows and, since all the furniture had been left, it gave the impression that guests had up and left in a hurry. Leaving everything behind, including a large empty pool that had long ago begun to decay. Strangely, however, he found it calming as well. It was dim, poorly lit, and very quiet. He would keep that in mind. 

The next few floors were all the same. Each consisted of guest rooms (20 each floor, if Illumi counted correctly) and a small area with what Illumi assumed were once functional ice and vending machines. The only floor that was slightly different was the top floor. It did have a few identical rooms but the majority of the floor was taken up by a large penthouse suite. Illumi assumed that was where Chrollo planned on spending his nights. It was off-limits, so to speak, but Illumi tried the handle anyway. 

Locked. 

Then there must be keys somewhere. Illumi hadn’t tried any of the other doors but he tried a few on his way back down to the first floor. Most had opened easily, only one other had been locked. Once he reached the ground floor he made his way to the lobby and behind the front counter. He hadn’t bothered to go behind it when he was first looking around but now he noticed the drawers that were labeled according to floor number. 

Just out of curiosity, Illumi opened the drawer that corresponded to the 5th floor. Key cards belonging to 501-504 were present. However, 505, the penthouse suite, did not have any key cards. 

He did the same thing for each drawer, taking note of which rooms had key cards missing. In total, he noticed nine rooms with missing keys. It made sense. Chrollo said everyone had already chosen rooms. The troupe in total would claim ten rooms. Three people in the penthouse suite and then one in each of the other claimed rooms. The only one that hadn’t taken a room yet was him. 

He thought for a moment, attempting to decide which floor would be the best for him to stay on. His immediate thought was the 5th. Nobody but Chrollo’s party had taken a room up there, it seemed, and Illumi figured being closer to him would be more convenient. 

Illumi lifted his head then, eyes instinctively shifting towards the conference room. He had realized something, something he should have noticed before he had even left the other three spiders. 

It didn’t matter what floor Illumi stayed on or how close he was to Chrollo because it was extremely unlikely that he would ever be alone anyway. Feitan and Machi as well as Shizuku and Bonolenov were tasked with guarding the head. It made sense, it wasn’t as if it was incredibly difficult for Illumi to infiltrate the troupe. Therefore, it wouldn’t be for others. It seemed like trust bound all the spiders together but they were still extremely logical. No matter how much trust they had in their companions they couldn’t risk losing their leader. 

The realization irritated Illumi, it would be much more difficult to complete his job if he could never get Chrollo alone. He needed to kill Chrollo and leave before the others could notice. He wouldn’t stand a chance against all of the troupe at once. Against a few of them, sure, but not all. 

With that in mind, Illumi switched his criteria for choosing a room. It didn’t matter how physically close the room was to Chrollo’s. Therefore, he wanted one that was out of the way. Three rooms on the third floor were taken, four on the fourth, and only one on the second. The room missing on the second floor was 208 so Illumi grabbed both keys belonging to 220, the room at the very far end of the hall. That would have to do. 

It would be useful if he could eventually figure out which rooms belonged to who but, seeing as most of the members were gone, that would have to wait. For now he took the stairs up one floor and walked down the long hallway until he reached the room he had claimed. He didn’t need two key cards, of course, but, like the others, he took both anyway so that nobody else had access to him during the night. 

Illumi was surprised the locks worked anymore, it seemed as though select areas of the hotel still had power. Or the locks themselves were independently powered. It was unclear. He slipped the card in and out, pleased with the green light and the click that resounded shortly after. He pushed the door open, extending his en outwards in search of anything abnormal. He didn’t expect to find anything, he hadn’t sensed any presence before, but it was a good habit to have. As expected he found nothing out of the ordinary and stepped into the room, letting the door shut and lock behind him before turning to view his surroundings. 

There was a door directly to his right that was likely a bathroom. He wondered if running water was a luxury they would have while here. He doubted it. He flipped the light switches to his right, unsurprised to find that nothing happened. 

The room was dim and, while Illumi could see fine given his training, he walked straight across the room to the large windows and opened the curtains. It was past noon by now so the sun was on its descent but it still hung bright in the sky for now. The light illuminated the room so Illumi could more easily identify the details. 

There was a queen-sized bed in the corner near the window, a desk against the opposite wall, and a small counter across the room that held a sink and mini-fridge. It was the bare necessities, really, Illumi was used to much more luxurious rooms. But, for abandoned, it was okay. Clean, at least. 

Judging from Chrollo’s words earlier, the troupe was used to staying in much less appealing places than this. Illumi just hoped he could finish this job before he had to experience that. 

Illumi leaned against the window, thankfully unbroken, and looked out across the town surrounding. It was desolate, he could only see occasional citizens wandering about. He could see how this place was once a normal, bustling town. There were houses, shops, churches, everything you would expect to find in a place where middle-class citizens lived. But now most of the buildings stood empty, neglected, and forgotten. Just like the inhabitants. 

It was unclear how long Illumi stood lost in thought, both contemplating his current situation and his actions to come. He had a lot more planning to do than he originally intended. At this point, all he could try to do was get as close to Chrollo as possible. To gain his trust. It would be difficult but there was no other way. 

His thoughts were quickly interrupted by loud squawking and the visual of a large bird flying by the window. Ah, Miluki was fast. The windows in the room opened but not very wide, a common occurrence in hotels. Therefore, he left the room, leaving behind one of his keys and taking the other. He reached the lobby quickly and walked out of the front doors. The bird was still hovering around the window of the room that Illumi had been occupying, he was trained to find him after all, but easily swooped down once the assassin was in sight. He put his arm out, allowing the creature to land on him before releasing what was attached to his leg. It was larger than what was normally sent using this method, it was a whole map after all, but the bird seemed to do just fine with it. 

Once the layout was freed Illumi shot his arm into the air, allowing the creature to take flight again and return to the Zoldyck estate. Before entering the hotel again, he opened the folded map, pleased to see the layout of the Yul Treasury printed on it. It meant little to him right now but it was step one in gaining Chrollo’s trust. 

He made his way back inside, through the lobby, and into the conference room once again. The air was relaxed, quiet, Chrollo was still reading by the window and the other two were talking quietly at the conference table. Little attention was paid to him as he entered but, as he made his way to Chrollo across the room, their conversation quieted. He could feel their eyes burning into him, could feel the distrust they held. 

Chrollo’s gaze lifted soon after as well, setting his book face down in his lap and giving his attention to the assassin before him. Illumi held out the folded up layout to him silently. Chrollo glanced at it and back at Illumi before taking it from him. He unfolded it, taking a minute to glance over the contents before smiling. 

“Thank you.” He folded the layout back up, lifting his head to once again look at Illumi. “You got your hands on this rather quickly.” 

“There is very little that my family does not have access to,” Illumi explained, though vaguely. 

“So I’ve heard.” He tucked the paper into a pocket inside his jacket. “I have another request of you.” Illumi stayed quiet, attentive, waiting for him to continue. “Shalnark will be sending me updates once they reach the treasury. I will send him a digital copy of the layout so that we are working off the same schematics. Once he starts communicating the securities positions and power levels I will begin mapping out our potential movements. I would like you to help.”

Illumi tilted his head slightly as he spoke. “Why my help?”

“You have a different point of view than the others,” Chrollo explained. “Your experiences are much different than ours so I would like to have your opinion when planning. It will also give me insight into your future usefulness.” It sounded almost like a threat, or perhaps a challenge. Chrollo was continuously testing him, finding out both how far Illumi was willing to go to help and exactly what resources and knowledge he could bring to the table. 

“Alright. I will help.” Chrollo smiled wide, clasping his hands together. 

“Good to hear. It might be a while before I hear anything back from Shalnark but once I do, you will be the first to know.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some of this was taken directly from a roleplay of mine so if you recognize it, hey. What's up.


End file.
